So, you’ve found the perfect apartment or house, and you are obviously in a position to sign the lease. Not so fast! At the time you sign a lease you obligate yourself to make the rental payments for the period of the lease, usually one year. So, let’s say the rent is $1,000 per month. After you sign a lease, you’re obligating yourself to pay the owner $12,000! You don’t have to stay in the house or apartment, if you don’t like it. But you will absolutely have to pay the lease. There is absolutely no getting away from it. So, it’s good to make certain this is a property you intend to stay in for the lease period.
The first thing you should do is to inspect the home or property carefully. If you do not know much about building, then you certainly should get a friend, or the friend of a friend, to view the property or home for you. You want a record of what doesn’t work, and what shape things are in. It’s easy in this digital age to take pictures. So, why not get a camcorder, or even your cellular telephone, and take pictures of the whole place. In that way once the lease is up and you are obviously ready to move, you can actually show the landlord that you weren’t the reason for the dent in the side of the stove.
Something else you need to be aware about is the number and thickness of common walls. Common walls are the ones that separate you from other tenants in the building. The more common walls you have, the easier it will be to hear the guys or gals next door. Common walls tend to be thinner and transmit more sound in older buildings, so be especially conscious of that.
Be sure to understand how the amenities of the house or property are used. If it is a quadruplex, for instance, be sure that you know who has the rights to the garage, if any, and the yard. Also, what’s the deal with the laundry? If this is a more recent, higher priced building, consider the gym and concierge services? Do they really come included, or do you’ve got to pay more?
Always be sure you can shoulder the rent! The hardest situation is to find a great place and then arrive at hate it with a few months simply because the rent is killing you. A standard percentage is no more than 30% of your take home pay. That’s your dollars after taxes. If the rent is a bit too steep, ask the landlord if they’ll lower it, especially if you take on some of the responsibilities around the property-say, mowing the yard, clearing up, doing mending, showing the area to prospective tenants, etc.
Lee Cole has worked with real estate for over 20 years in both selling and renting properties. To learn more about Gwinnett property management and Duluth homes for rent, check out these articles, today!